Casket



J. ZWACK.

(No Model.)

GASKET.

Paterited Aug. 6, 1895.

L i J 'NITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

JOHN ZWACK, or ALBANY, NEW YORK.

CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 543,974, dated August 6, 1895.

Application filed May 6, 1895. Serial No. 548,213. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ZWACK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Caskets, of which the following is aspecif'b cation.

My invention relates to improvements in caskets; and the object of my invention is to provide a false bottom for a casket arranged in such a manner that it may be raised or lowered as desired, and so adj usted that the operation of raising and lowering the same may be noiseless and expeditious. I attain this object by means of the mechanism illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section showing the false bottom lowered. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing-the false bottom elevated. Fig. .4 is a plan with the false bottom removed, and Fig. 5 is a detail viewof the collapsible box B.

Similarletters refer to similar parts through out the several views.

Within the casket A and near each end thereof I arrange a collapsible box B having collapsible sides, with joints made of a suitable fabric, or any substance which may be easily folded upon itself. I do not, however, limit myself to the construction shown, since any diaphragm which would be sufficiently strong would perform the same result; nor do I wish to limit myself to the use of a diaphragm or collapsible box, since any means for raising the false bottom in a casket would carry out my invention. I describe the means shown for raising and lowering the false bottom.

To the bottom of a casket I secure in any suitable manner the base-piece O of the collapsible box. Within the base-piece C, I'arrange a tube D which communicates at d with the interior of the collapsible box and at one edge of the box communicates with the pipe E, which extends along the interior of the casket to the opposite end, where it connects struction to that of box B. The tube D in the collapsible box B has at its end nearest the head of the casket a projecting mouth G within which I arrange in any suitable manner a valve H, which preferably fits within a recess h in the end of thecasket near the bottom thereof.

To the base-piece O, I hinge by straps c c the side pieces J Jone on each side of the boxmaking four pieces, and which extend half-way up the desired height of the box. The upper edges of the said pieces J J are attached by suitable fabric to the side pieces K K, which are in turn secured to the top piece L by the straps Z Z, all arranged in such a manner that the lower side pieces are capable of lying down, one side on top of the other, the upper portions K K folding upon each other and also upon the lower portions, as shown in Fig. 2.

Upon the top of theupper strip L of the box B and the upper strip L of the box F, I secure the false bottom M in any suitable manner. For the purpose of elevating the false bottom M the valve H is removed and a pump attached thereto and air blown into each of the boxes B and F, which causes the side pieces to become elevated and to assume the position shown in Fig. 3, raising the false bottom to the desired position. The connection between the pump and the valve is then broken and the valve inserted and closed. When the false bottom must be depressed in order to allow the lid to be placed on the casket, the valve II is opened, allowing the .escape of the air in the boxes, when they collapse, assuming the position shown in Fig. 2.

It is desirable that the false bottom should be raised more at the head of the casket than at the foot, and for that reason the box B placed at the head is larger than that of the box F placed at the foot. It is also desirable that when the false bottom is lowered, it should descend with equal rapidity at each .end, and I do not limit myself to the conthe casket when the false bottom M is in the position shown in Fig. 3 and it Will assumethe position and appearance of lying on a bed or couch, and when it is necessary to close the casket the valve II can be operated very quietly and Without any disturbing noise. The body will gradually sink into the casket and the lid may be closed Without any interrnption.

Since the apparatus for raising and lowering the bottom is to be used but once, it is not necessary that it should be at all expensive in its construction, and it may be very simply put together.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

phragms, with a valve for controlling, said 2 5 diaphragms, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

J GEN ZWACK. Witnesses:

GRACE T. MANY, L. L. CAMERON. 

